Fund outlay set for Colorado shooting victims

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DENVER — A mediator overseeing a dispute over donations to the 12 people killed and 58 injured in the Colorado theater shootings said Monday that the majority of the $5 million in contributions will go to families of people who died and those who suffered permanent injuries.

Mediator Kenneth Feinberg said those victims will get 70 percent of the money, or about $200,000 each based on current donations.

The remainder will go to people who suffered physical injuries, based on the number of days they were hospitalized.

‘‘We want the money to go to eligible claimants without restriction before Thanksgiving,’’ Feinberg said. Feinberg said claims for the funds are due by Nov. 1.

Due to limited funds, money will not be provided to victims who did not require overnight hospitalization or to people claiming mental trauma, he said.

James Holmes, a former University of Colorado-Denver graduate student, is charged in the attack during the showing of a Batman movie on July 20.

Feinberg was brought in as mediator after the families of 10 people killed and at least a dozen of those wounded called for an independent arbitrator to oversee distribution of the donations.

The families said they were frustrated by an initial plan that would have excluded them from the process of disbursing funds. They also questioned a decision to give $100,000 to nonprofit organizations instead of the families.

Rich Audsley, special adviser to the 7/20 committee appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper to oversee the distribution, said the $100,000 was given to nonprofit organizations because of conditions set by the donors. He promised a full, independent audit after the money is distributed.